News Detail

24

Oct, 2014

Balancing Realistic Expecations

Romantic Stage (Tee Ball, Coach Pitch, Minor League)

This is the beginning, for many Little Leaguers®,
ages 5 to 8. The goal and expectation should be for your child to fall
in love with baseball or softball, where they can’t wait to get to the
diamond for practices and games. To make that happen, the experience
must be fun.

There should be no pressure to perform and every opportunity to
learn, grow, socialize with teammates, and acquire basic understanding
of the game, and its rules and techniques. Coaches and parents should
exercise extreme patience with all skill levels, and, as at all ages,
parents should be primarily concerned with their children learning life
lessons, such as the values of determination, persistence, staying open
to learning, and managing emotions around any frustration your children
may feel around their skill sets.

In the early years of your child's baseball or softball experience,
it is more important to look for a coach who makes the sport fun and
gives lots of encouragement, rather than possessing a high degree of
technical expertise.

Technical Stage (Minor League, Major League)

In the
technical stage, generally Little League ages 8 to 10, you should see
much the same as in the romantic stage, but after age 8, skill sets are
more differentiated across players in a given division. In fact, the
reason the romantic stage is so important is that continued fun, love of
the game, and great relationships with teammates and coaches can keep
lesser-skilled players involved.

That way, youth can continue to benefit from the healthy lifestyle,
life lessons, and other socialization aspects of Little League and still
have the chance to improve performance as they get more technical
coaching and physically grow into their bodies. From age 8 onward, it is
usually quite clear who the more talented players are, which can
discourage the less talented unless they receive ample support,
encouragement and attention from coaches who can help them improve
skills and gain confidence.

Because your children will inevitably struggle with skills and may
perceive themselves as “lesser” or “behind” the better players, it is
critical that parents help their children process these experiences.
Parents and coaches together can teach kids that in baseball/softball as
in life, it is best to compare themselves to their best-possible selves
in terms of effort, learning, and commitment…values that will serve
them well in life far beyond the diamond.

The
mature stage, from a Little League perspective, can arrive any time
around age 10 or after. Here the player ideally is self-motivated to
improve and refine skills. Competitive juices flow more freely, which
coaches and parents may encourage and direct toward a sense of Honoring
the Game and applying competitive drive beyond the field into school and
other endeavors.

Fun and unconditional love from parents still matter, maybe even
more given the pressures that mature-stage athletes put upon themselves
to perform. The good news is that youth who reach the mature stage, most
often do so because of all the fun, love, and support they have
experienced from their coaches and parents in earlier years.